This invention relates to magnetic connector arrangements, and more particularly to magnetic connector arrangements utilizing magnets retained rotatably in magnet containing pockets of multiple connector bodies provided for mutual magnetic attraction one to another, each respective magnet rotating in its pocket as needed for proper orientation and alignment of the respective opposite magnetic poles of the respective magnet as the connector bodies are moved toward each other and into magnetically-attracted connection one to another.
Such magnetic connector arrangements have been provided heretofore, as represented by the various structural arrangements and teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,253 to Ogikubo; U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,638 to Shiraishi; and my own earlier U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,480 issued 15 Jun. 2004. In this, each of the references teaches a different magnet connector structure for connecting multiple block-type bodies together in face-to-face abutment of selected panel side walls forming each body member.
In the first reference, Ogikubo provides a connector body arranged to contain a spherical magnet rotatably within its interior, for substantially universal rotation of the spherical magnet body on any diametric axis through the magnet for orientation of the opposite, north and south poles of the magnet as needed for proper magnetic attraction to a corresponding magnet of a second body member. The second reference identified above, Shiraishi provides a plurality of complex magnetically attracting, block-like hollow bodies with an internal, disc-type magnet structure associated with each side face wall of the block body, for mutual attraction of multiple such block bodies together in confronting, face-to-face abutment of selected side panels forming the multi-sided magnetic toy blocks. The last above-identified reference, my earlier U.S. patent, also provides a rather complex structural arrangement for rotatably supporting a magnetic body having opposite magnetic poles at its opposite longitudinal ends within a socket arrangement providing for universal rotation of the magnet therein, the magnet arrangement positioned substantially centrally of one or more side wall faces of multi-sided block-type bodies for magnetic connection of multiple block-type bodies together in face-to-face confrontation.
In each of these magnetically-attractable block-type body arrangements, the magnetic connector structure requires a structural configuration in which the dimension required for rotational movement of the magnet for polarity orientation is equal to or greater than the dimension providing for mutual magnetic attraction between confronting, oriented magnets of separate magnet bodies being secured together in magnetic connection.
While these various connector magnet structures may, as taught, be well suited for association with the panel face surfaces forming the side walls of multi-sided block-type magnetic connector bodies to be joined magnetically together in mutually aligned, sidewall-to-sidewall, face-to-face condition, they do not provide magnetic connector bodies nor connector magnet structures capable of or arranged for magnetic connection of multiple magnetic connector bodies in edge-to-edge condition along mutually confronting, linearly peripheral edges of the connector bodies.